City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York on Easter evening.

Our city's weather decided to finally get into the swing of spring, just in time for today's traditional parade of finery, and extravagance, along Fifth Avenue.

I'd made plans to meet friends at the northern end of the promenade path and took my camera along for the walk. As I walked towards our meeting place, I could not resist taking this reflective picture of a shop that features paper goods.

When I reached Fifth Avenue it was clear that having the street closed to vehicular traffic, it was a great day for folks to walk up and down the Avenue. This was the view down Fifth Avenue.


This was the view up Fifth Avenue. Note the brilliant blue sky, and a glimpse of Central Park's trees just beyond the sunlit edge of the elegant Bergdorf Goodman shop. Taxi cabs were obliged to make a turn. The policeman waved them right and left, but they could not proceed down Fifth as usual.

Last year, my Easter Parade photographs were taken in locations nearer to the center of it all, around St. Patrick's Cathedral. This year, my friends were not enthusiastic about venturing that much into the thick of the extravagant regalia. And so, the following photos will have a gentler theme. Many will show family groups.

The next photo is to two twenty-somethings, wearing wonderful vintage outfits. The young lady on the left still has her boyfriend's jacket on. The day will warm up.

What a little beauty in her mother's embrace. We wished each other Happy Easter.

This teenager still had braces on her teeth, and gave me a huge smile, when I complimented her color sense.

These two fellows were very nonchalant in parading in their festive headgear.

Black and red are colors not usually associated with Easter. Yet that did not deter this lady. You can see that another photograph was being taken simultaneously to mine.

Now this trio was dressed in rather traditional finery. Quite elegant.

Remember the young lady with the black jacket. Jacket is gone now. The sun has come out, bringing more warmth and more cameras.

Look at this sweet picture. This young lady is still keeping her lightweight cardi on. And she's got her Easter basket handy.

And here is another cutie in rosy pink. Note the little shoes.

Here is another view of a family group. I admit that I was having a hard time staying in conversation with my friends, while still keeping an eye out for promising bonnets or other interesting photo ops. Every now and then, I would just call out, "I'll be right back," and run off after a hat or outfit. I was not always in time to click in the proper light or focus.

This fellow was doing a grand business outfitting folks without hats. He could provide all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors.

The following picture is rather tacky, but still rather graphically okay. The flowering trees are arranged on staggered setbacks midway up the side of a gleaming building.

The photo below involves a contingent with a costumed dog. I am not sure if the dog was originally riding in the baby buggy.

These ladies in their beautifully elegant kimonos agreed to have me take their picture.

Most Fifth Avenue shops were closed today. An exception was the Lindt Chocolate shop. They were keeping busy supplying quick energy for the paraders.

This little bunny got a great view from her daddy's shoulders.

I did not seen anyone else wearing a kilt. This gentleman looked terrific.

The colors of the Gap store windows mimic that of the lady with the bonnet.

Now here is a stylish mother/daughter duo. The both favor large hats.

Here's an old-fashioned fashionista, complete with puffed sleeves and pigtails.

Her colleague also had a marvelous sense of style.

These gentlemen went in several directions with regard to their outfits.

And here are some wonderful striped trousers (not pin-stripes!) And take a look at that beard.

Doesn't this little girl have a sweet expression? Her parents were so kind to let me take her picture.

This lad is definitely a J. Depp fan. I just wish that my photograph had turned out better. He was a charmer.

For those who've been wondering, yes, there are many churches along the parade route and many paraders did go to Easter services

I could not resist clicking a picture of this sunny yellow clad family.

Now that's a hat. I think that this is another view of the mother who appeared in an earlier photo with her daughter.

Here is another picture of a beautiful Fifth Avenue church.

Mid-day sunlight does provide some dramatic lighting possibilities in the midst of some tall buildings' shadows.

This lady decided to add a little pink fluffy something to her otherwise rather subdued chapeau.

So many golden flowers growing from just one hat. Wow!

And so, although there were many more sights to be seen, we decided to turn around and make our way towards Central Park. The day had grown very warm, and many folks were shedding their jackets.

At 58th Street we made the turn westward, and I caught a shot of the corner across from the Plaza Hotel. If you look carefully, you can see the clear glass cube of the Apple Store, where lots of enthusiasts have been purchasing the latest triumph.

Here's a view of a side entrance to the Plaza. It is now a condominium, and not quite the glory that it was when the story book character Eloise ran through its halls.

As we neared a pathway into the Park, we were cut off by horse drawn carriage traffic. Apparently, the horses's drivers think they are always due the right of way. This picture makes it look as if the white horse is wearing some sort of red bonnet. He was not. It is the back of a carriage.

We walked through the park past all sorts of lovely blooms. And then I said farewell to my pals. I had to get home to start packing more boxes, emptying out another bookcase ahead of the next visit from my careful painter.

On my way home, I stopped by a newly opened shop offering authentic gelato. I am delighted to report that my first sampling, a fig gelato, was scrumptious.

Happy Easter!